Lot
Pitched His Tent Toward Sodom
Life
is full of choices - small & great. In
making those choices, we look ahead to an end
What
is our focus?
The outcome of our choices depends on our heart; fleshly
or spiritual
Where
do our choices lead us?
We can't see that far ahead. But God knows.
Therefore,
let's listen to God's warnings on making right choices:
Gen.
13:1-7 Abram & Lot become prosperous - More than the land
supported
Beware
of covetousness & greed:
Lk.
12:13-21 Life does not consist in abundance of things.
Right
choices must come from a heart pointed toward heaven:
Lk.
12:33-34 "Where your treasure is, there your
heart will be
also."
Where
is your treasure? What
the heart values most, it will pursue.
All
else follows its leading
- & choices
will be influenced to that end.
Gen.
13:8-9 Abram's solution - a generous offer.
Was
Abram more interested in good pasture & prosperity or doing
right?
Heb.
11:8-10 "By
faith Abraham obeyed when he
was called to go out to the place
which
he would afterward receive as an
inheritance. And
he went out, not
knowing where he was going. (9) By
faith
he sojourned in the land of
promise as in a foreign
country,
dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob,
the heirs
with him of the same
promise; (10) for
he waited for
the
city which has foundations, whose
builder and maker is God."
Gen.
13:10-13 Lot's poor (selfish)
choice.
His focus on physical
gain.
What
Lot did not consider - The wickedness of the land.
When
we move or travel. When we choose whom we will work or play with-
Do we plan ahead to be where we can be near God's people? Do
we consider the influence of what we expose ourselves to?
Lot
did not foresee the result of his choice: The toll of sin's
influence.
Some
say that others' sins don't effect us - Sin effects the innocent -
Consider
9/11
In
the mean time - the Lord appeared to Abram: His plan to destroy Sodom
(Gen.
18:16-ff) Would
He save it for 50, 45, 40, 30,
20, 10 ?
Gen.
19:1-5 The wickedness & depravity of
Sodom.
Gen.
19:11-14 Lot lost his sons-in-law.
Daughters suffered due to his
choice
Are
we protecting & preparing our children to resist the world?
Gen.
19:15-22 Notice their reluctance to leave -
Too comfortable near sin?
Are
we becoming desensitized
to sin's ugliness?
Gen.
19:23-26 Lot lost his wife due to his choice
- She
looked
back
longingly?
Are
husbands considering the soul of their earthly soul-mate?
What
do we learn from Lot's choice? - CAUSE & EFFECT
1. Can
we embrace (be
indifferent to)
sin & not be effected by it?
Prov.
6:27-28 "Can
a man take fire to his bosom,
and his clothes not be burned?
(28)
Can one walk on hot coals, and his
feet not be
seared?"
1
Cor. 15:33 "Do
not be deceived: Evil company
corrupts good habits."
Eph.
5:11 "And
have no fellowship with the
unfruitful works of darkness, but
rather
expose
them."
1
Cor. 10:12 "Therefore
let him who thinks he
stands take heed lest he fall."
2. Can
we become indifferent to sin so it no longer appears ugly and drift
away from God without realizing it?
Heb.
2:1 "Therefore
we must give the more earnest
heed to the things we have heard,
lest
we
drift away."
Heb.
3:12-14 "Beware,
brethren, lest there be in any
of you an evil heart of unbelief
in
departing from the living God; (13) but
exhort one another daily, while
it is
called 'Today,' lest any of you be
hardened through the deceitfulness
of
sin.
(14) For we have become
partakers of Christ if we hold the
beginning of our confidence steadfast
to the end,"
3. If
evil associations can corrupt us, good
company can improve us.
If
you want to be like the world, live close to it. If you want to be
like God's people, live close to them.
Prov.
13:20 "He
who walks with wise men will be
wise, but the companion of fools
will be
destroyed."
4. We
need one another - Lord's church is an oasis in the desert of sin.
Heb.
10:22-25 "let
us draw
near
with a true heart in
full assurance of faith, having our
hearts sprinkled from an evil
conscience and our bodies
washed
with pure water. (23) Let us hold fast
the
confession of our hope without
wavering, for He who
promised is
faithful. (24) And let us consider one
another
in order to stir up love and
good works, (25) not forsaking the
assembling of ourselves together, as
is the manner of
some, but exhorting
one another, and so much more as
you
see the Day approaching."
5.
We need to live close to the Lord.
Want
to be like Christ? Live close to Him.
Jas.
4:4-10 "Draw near to God and He will draw
near to you."
Where
do we pitch our tent? Nearer
to God or man?
To
heaven or earth?
Rom.
6:3-10
